Combination tool



May 24, 1949. R. R. BosHAw 2,471,191

COMBINATION TOOL Filed April e, 1946 Patented May 24, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE This invention relates to combination tools and in particular to such tools having a common handle with insertable and detachable implements.

One object of this invention is to provide a combination tool having improved means for detachably holding an implement in a common handle.

Another object is to provide a combination tool wherein the implements are held more powerfully and without danger of accidental release even when employing implements subjected to sudden jolts, such as hammers or hatchets.

Another object is to provide a combination tool. having implements with shanks hooking deeply into the common handle and having a positive locking device located remote from the inner end of the shank of the implement whereby a, powerful locking leverage is exerted. upon the implement and handle, preventing accidental dislodgement.

Another object is to provide a combination tool as set forth in the preceding objects wherein the implement is provided with a strong and effective abutment portion located adjacent the locking device so as to more powerfully support the implement against the stresses encountered in its use.

Another object is to provide a combination tool, as set forth in the preceding objects, wherein the locking device is located transversely in the handle adjacent the end thereof facing the implement.

Another object is to provide a combination tool wherein the various implements have shanks of similar conguration and which are capable of being stored and carried in a convenient case, such as a sheath, pocket or envelope of canvas, leather or other suitable material.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description of the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a combination tool according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, with certain portions of the handle broken away to disclose the interior construction more clearly;

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the combination tool shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the shank of an implement for use with the combination tool of this invention;

Figure 4 is a front elevation of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a cross-section taken along the line 5 5 in Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a cross-section taken along the line 6 6 in Figure 1;

Figure l is a cross-section taken along the line 'I-l in Figure l;

Figure 8 is a longitudinal section taken along the line 8--3 in Figure 1; and

Figure 9 is a reduced side elevation showing other implements which may be inserted in the handle of the combination tool of this invention.

Referring to the drawings in detail, Figure l shows a combination tool according to a preferred embodiment of the invention and consisting generally of a handle I0 and an implement II having a working portion I2 and a shank I3 insertable into the handle I0. It will be understood that various types of implements II may be used with the handle I0, such as the knife I4 shown in Figure 1, the hammer I5 shown in Figure 9. Alternatively also, other implements may be employed such as the aXe I6 shown in chain lines in Figure 9, or still other implements (not shown) such as screw drivers, les, rasps, saws, nail or tack liiters, chisels, augurs or gimlets, punches, can openers, cleavers, wrenches, or the like. It will be further understood, however, that all such implements, while diiering in their working portions I2, will have a common shank I3 for insertion into the common handle I0.

For purposes of illustration, an implement II consisting of a hunting knife will be described. The hunting knife, as previously stated, consists of a shank I3 and a working portion I2. The latter vcomprises a blade I4 having a sharpened edge I'I and a pointed tip I8, together with the usual blunt rear edges I9 and 2B. The shank I3 includes a laterally projecting abutment `portion 2| with an abutment edge 22 (Figure 3) approximately perpendicular to the holding portion 23, The latter is provided at its rearward edge 24 with a bevelled portion 25 adjacent the abutment edge 22. The edge 24 is further provided with a slightly projecting abutment portion 26 which extends down to the end 2'( of the holding portion I3. The end 21 contains a curved notch or recess 28 extending inwardly from the forward edge 29 above which is a projecting portion 30 containing a longitudinal notch 39a with a locking edge 3| for receiving a locking device, to be described later. The notch 30a is bounded by spaced projecting portions 32 and 33.

The handle il) consists of a pair of spaced side plates 34 and 35 separated at their lower portions by a J-shaped member 36 having a forwardly projecting abutment portion 31 with a contact edge 38 and an elongated spring arm 39 connected to an anchorage portion 49 projecting therefrom and occupying the full width of the blade The side plates 34 and 35 are also interconnected at their upper and rearward portions by an abutment plate 4I of approximately rectangular shape with a downwardly projecting portion 42 (Figure 1). The upper edge 43 of the abutment portion 4| engages the corresponding abutment edge 22 of the shank I3. The abutmentf portion 4| is secured to the sideplates 34 and35 by fasteners 44. The anchorage portion4|l (Figure 6) is likewise secured to the side plates 34 and 35 by fasteners 45. The handle i9 is provided with hand grips 46 and 41 secured respectively to the side plates 34 and 35 by long fasteners 48 and 49 (Figures 2, 6 and 8). Extending through the hand grips 46 and 41 and the side plates 34 and 35 is a combined fast-ener and pivot pin 50 having an enlarged central portion lying between thet reduced diameter portions 52 and 53 (Figure '1). The pivot pin enlargement 5|l thus lies in an open-sided socket bounded by therside plates 34 and35 and the J-shaped member'3ii.

' The locking device 54 by'which the implement is releasably held in the handle IU includes a spring arm 55 secured at its rearward end to the side plate 34 by a fastener 58 (Figures 1, 5 and 8). The outer end 51 of the spring arm 55 is bent for convenience of manipulation by the thumb of the user, and is bored as at 5B to receive the shank 59 of a detent 50 (Figure 1), the shank 59 being upset to secure the detent 59 to the spring arm 55. The latter is housed in a transverse cavity 6| within the hand grip 46 near the upper end thereof. The detent 58 is bevelled as at 62 toward an abutment edge 93 adapted to enter the notch 33a of the implement and engage the bottom locking edge 3| thereof In the use of the invention, to insert one of the implements the holding portion 23 of the shank I3 thereof is inserted above the pivot pin 59 approximately at right angles to the handle l0, as indicated by the chain lines in Figure 1, and pushed downwardly in this position until the notch 28 engages the enlarged portion 5| of the pivot pin The implement is then swung upwardly into the solid line position of Figure l into the space between the front edges of the side plates 34 and 35, the bevelled portion 25 of the holding portion 23 engaging the bevelled portion 62 of the detent 63 and forcing the latter transversely toward the hand grip 46 (Figures 2 and 5) ,'l thereby urging the spring arm 55 outwardly. As the implement I reaches a position of alignment with the handle I0 (Figure 1), the abutment por-J, tion 63 of the detent 69 snaps in behind the locking edge 3| at the 'bottom of the notch 39a in the holding portion 23, the abutment edge22 engages its corresponding abutment edge 43, and the implement is lockedin the position Yshown in Fig-v ures 1 and 5. Meanwhilathe abutment portion 36 and spring arm 39 have swung rearwardly and returned to the position shown in Figure 1 with the abutment edges 26 and 38 in engagement.- Thus, the implement is rmly locked in the handle I9 at widely separated locations, namely at the pivot pin 5i) and the detent 50.

To remove the implement |I from the handle HJ, the thumb is placed upon the curved portion 51 of the spring arm 55 while the handle ||l is firmly gripped in the hand of the user, forcing the detent 59 to the right (Figure 2) out of engagement with the locking edge 3| of the holding portion 23. The user then places his hand against the rear edge 20 of the implement and swings it downwardly around the pivot pin 53 into the chain line` position shown in Figure 1, releasing the detent device 54 when this position has been reached. The implement may then be shiftedl upward to lift the notch 28 in the holding portion 23 out of engagement with the pivot pin 5i), whereupon the implement l may be pulled sidewise and completely detached from the handle l0. Another impiement having a shank I3 of like construction, such as the hammer I5 or axe I6 (Figure 9) may be inserted in the previously described manner and similarly detached after being used. The various implements Il', I5 and I5 together with the handle may then be returned to their case. Alternatively, the knife I4 may be normally retained in the handle I3 and this assembly carried in a belt sheath of conventional construction (not shown), the remaining implements being carried in a separate case (not shown).

While I have shown and described my invention in detail, it is to be understood that the same is. to be limited only by the appended claims, for many changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention,

What I claim is:

1. A combination tool comprising a handle having a longitudinal socket therein, a pivot member in said socket, a detent in said handle remote from said pivot member, and an implement having an elongated shank insertable in said socket and having a recess engageable with said pivot member and a locking portion engageable with said detent, said handle having va rigidly mounted abutment member therein with abutment portions extending both longitudinally and transversely of said handle, and said implement having both longitudinally and transversely extending abutment portions engageable with the corresponding abutment portions of said abutment member. .2. A combination tool comprising a handle having a longitudinal socket therein, a pivot member in said socket, a detent in said handle remote from said pivot member, and an implement having an elongated shank insertable in said socket and having a recess engageable with said pivot member and a locking portion engageable with said detent, said handle having a rigidly mounted, abutment member disposed adjacent the implement end of said handle and having abutment portions extending both longitudinally and transversely of said handle, and said implement having -Joth longitudinally and transversely extending abutment portions engageable with the corresponding abutment portions vof said abutment member.

3. A combination tool comprising a handle having a longitudinal socket therein, a pivot member in said socket, a detent in said handle remote fromsaid pivot member, and an implement ha ing an elongated shank insertablein said socket and having a recess engageable with said pivot member and a locking portion engageable with said detent, said implement having and approximately right-angled cutaway abutment portion, and said handle having a rigidly-mounted approximately right-angled abutment member engageable with said right-angled cutaway abutment portion.

4. A combination tool comprising a handle having a longitudinal socket therein, a pivot member in said socket, a detent in said handle remote from said Divot member, and an implement having an elongated shank insertable in said socket and having a recess engageable with said pivot member and a locking portion engageable with said detent, said handle having a rigidly-mounted abutment member therein and said implement having an abutment portion engageable with said abutment member, said handle having a transverse cavity and said detent comprising a spring arm disposed in said cavity and secured at one end to said handle and having a locking projection near its opposite end engageable with said implement shank on the opposite side thereof from said abutment member.

5. A combination tool comprising a handle having a longitudinal socket therein, a pivot member in said socket, a detent in said handle remote from said pivot member, and an implement havlng an approximately L-shaped elongated shank with longitudinal and transverse portions insertable in said socket and having a recess engageable with said pivot member and a locking portion engageable with said detent, said handle having a rigidly-mounted abutment member therein and said implement having an abutment portion engageable with said abutment member, the transverse portion of said L-shaped shank having an abutment edge engageable with said han` dle, said handle having a transverse cavity and* said detent comprising a spring arm disposed in said cavity and secured at one end to said handle and having a locking projection near its opposite end engageable with said implement shank on the opposite side thereof from said abutment member.

6. A combination tool comprising a handle having a pair of spaced side members, a pivot member secured to said side members and extending through the space therebetween, a detent secured to one of said side members and extending into the space therebetween, and an implement havin-g an elongated shank insertable into the space between said side members and having a hook portion detachably engageable with said pivot member, said detent having an inclined portion thereon and said implement shank having an inclined edge engageable with said inclined detent portion whereby to push said detent aside during entry of said shank into said handle space.

RUBY R. BOSHAW.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 134,011 Smith Dec. 17, 1872 997,683 Lutz July 11, 1911 2,018,603 Case et al. Oct. 22, 1935 

